Closures for bottles and like containers



Dec. 19, 1961 w, GAMBLE 3,013,371

CLOSURES FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Original Filed April 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor WILL/AM Ii, GAMLS'LE A Horneys Dec. 19, 1961 w. R. GAMBLE 3,013,371

CLOSURES FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Original Filed April 25; 1955 z sheets sheet 2 Inventor WILL/AM A. GYM/51E ywwyw Attorneys Dec. 19, 1961 w. R. GAMBLE CLOSURES FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 25, 1955 Inventor Will/4N A? GAME M 22 M M Attorney:

United States Patent Ofifice 3,013,371 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 The present invention relates to means for applying a closure to a bottle and like container.

More particularly the present invention relates to means for applying to a bottle or like container a onepiece cup-like closure of the kind described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 503,740 filed on April 25, 1955, of which the present application is a divisional application.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide improved means for applying closures to bottles and like containers, and a more particular object of the present invention is to provide improved means for applying a one-piece cup-like metal closure to a bottle or like container having a neck portion provided externally with spaced upper and lower screw thread-like formations of opposite hand.

With the above objects in view the present invention consists in means for applying to a bottle or like container a one-piece cup-like closure the skirt of which has upper and lower portions and an intermediate outwardly dished portion weakened to permit ready separation of the upper and lower portions comprising a headset adapted for rotation in one direction with respect to said container and including at least one spinning arm assembly carrying a pair of freely rotatable rollers, one of which is adapted to engage the upper portion of the skirt of the closure and to deform said portion into close engagement with a corresponding thread formation on the container during rotation of said head set and the other of which is adapted to engage the lower portion of the skirt of the closure and to deform said portion into close engagement with a corresponding thread formation of opposite hand to said first mentioned thread formation on the container, the rollers being biased for movement in a direction radially inwardly of the container and being so mounted on the headset as to be capable of movement longitudinally of the skirt in opposite directions during the closure deforming operation.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same by way of example and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the headset used for applying the closure to a bottle neck.

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line I-I of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the relative positions of the bottle with the closure positioned thereon and the headset at the commencement of the closure applying operation.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are plan and sectional views respectively of one spinning arm assembly as used in the headset shown in FIGURES 1-3, the sectional view of FIGURE 5 being taken on the line vII--II of FIGURE 4.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown at A a bottle provided externally on its neck with upper and lower screw thread-like formations of opposite hand. These formations may each be continuous or interrupted in form. Over the mouth of the bottle is placed a cuplike metal closure B as shown more particularly in FIG- URE 3, this closure having a base 7 and a skirt indicated generally by the reference numeral 8. The skirt 8 has an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14 spaced therefrom by an intermediate outwardly dished portion 13 in which is formed, preferably centrally, a weakened line consisting of a circumferential row of spacedslits or slots 15 which are of substantially greater circumferential length than the intervening portions 16. The spaced slits or slots 15 are preferably formed by a cutter which acts in a direction radially inwardly of the closure flange thereby producing a sunk type of slit or slot which divides the intermediate portion 13 into two parts except for the spaced narrow connecting portions 16 and forms upper and lower beads 17 and 18 which tend to insulate the narrow connecting portions 16 from the stresses arising during application of both the upper and lower portions of the skirt to the bottle neck. Within the closure and in contact with the base 7 is a liner, for example of cork or other suitable material, which is retained in position in the closure by a liner retaining groove 10 formed in an appropriate position on the flange 8. The outer surface of the flange 8 between the groove 10 and the base 7 is preferably roughened, as for instance by knurling 11, to provide a grip, and at its extreme lower end the skirt 8 is provided with a return edge bead 19.

When the closure is positioned on a bottle as shown in FIGURE 3 the upper and lower portions 12 and 14 thereof overlie the upper and lower screw thread-like formations on the bottle neck and by deforming the portions 12 and 14 into engagement with the respective upper and lower screw thread-like formations on the container corresponding screw thread-like formations are provided on the portions 12 and 14 of the closure itself. In this way the closure may be firmly anchored on the container but the upper portion, i.e. the portion to which ,;the numerals 7, 11 and 12 are applied can be removed by imparting to it a rotary movement in the appropriate direction of suflicient force to sever the portions 16 along the weakened line, and may thereafter be used as a re-closure for the container.

It is found that the operation of applying the closure to a container can be performed very efiiciently by the use of a rotary-headset carrying one or more pairs of rollers which simultaneously deform the upper and lower portions 12 and 13 of the closure flange into close engagement with the upper and lower thread formations on the container. As shown the headset comprises a guide bell 23 in which are mounted for rotation three spinning arm assemblies one of which is shown in detail i in FIGURES 4 and 5. Each assembly comprises an arm 24 adjustably and detachably secured at one end to a vertical shaft 25 and upon which an equalizing member 26 is pivotally supported at or near its other end at p 27. Mounted upon each equalizing member 26 are two shafts 28, 29, each of which carries at one end a roller 30, 31 and is freely rotatable in a bush 32, 33. Further, one or both of each pair of shafts 28, 29 is/are inclined or raked to the vertical to suit the helix angle'of the thread which the roller it carries is intended to form in the closure skirt 8 and is movable in the direction of its longitudinal axis against the bias of a light helical spring 34, its-relatively to the equalizing member 26. I As illusdeforming the lower portion 14 of the skirt 8 into close engagement with the lower screw thread formations on the bottle neck. The roller 30 is therefore biased to the position shown in FIGURE 5 by the helical spring Q) 34 and moves downward during formation of the thread in the upper portion of the closure skirt against the action of the spring 34 whilst the roller 31 assumes the position shown in FIGURE under the action of the helical spring 35 and moves upwardly during formation of the thread in the lower portion 14 of the closure skirt 8.

Means (not shown) are provided for causing each pair of rollers 30, 31 to bear with an appropriate degree of radial pressure on the closure skirt 8 during the application of a closure to a container and the headset also comprises a pressure block 36 for exerting the requisite degree of pressure vertically on the closure prior to and during deformation of the upper and lower portions 12 and 14 of the closure skirt 8 into close engagement with the upper and lower screw thread formations on the corresponding portions of the bottle neck.

In the use of the headset described a closure is first assembled on a bottle neck as shown in FIGURE 3 and the bottle is then placed in a sealing machine having such a headset. The relative positions of the bottle and headset at this stage are shown in FIGURE 3. The bottle and the headset are next moved relatively to one another to bring the base 7 of the closure into contact with the pressure block 36 which compresses the liner and holds the closure firmly in position on the bottle.

Almost simultaneously the rollers 36, 31 are brought into engagement with the upper parts of the upper and lower portions 12 and 14 respectively of the closure skirt 8 and due to the fact that the spinning arms 24 are at this time being rotated in a clockwise direction and to the fact that the rollers carried thereby are pressed radially against the skirt the portions 12 and 14 of the skirt are deformed into close engagement with the respective screw threaded formations on the bottle neck, thereby causing the rollers to move respectively downwardly and upwardly against the action of their biasing springs 34, 35. Upon completion of the sealing operation the bottle and headset are moved relatively to one another to separate them and the rollers 30, 31 are returned to their initial positions as shown in FIGURE 3 under spring bias ready for a further sealing operation.

As previously pointed out the presence of the beads 17 and 18 on each side of the circumferential row of slits or slots in the closure skirt tends to insulate the narrow connecting portions 16 from the stresses arising during application of the closure to a bottle neck, and particularly during deformation of the lower portion of the skirt into close engagement with the formations on the bottle neck. It also assists in making it possible to apply a closure according to the present invention to substantially all glass finishes falling within the somewhat wide range of tolerances permissible in commercial practice.

What I claim is:

1. Means for applying a one-piece cup-like closure the skirt of which has upper and lower portions and an intermediate outwardly dished portion weakened to permit ready separation of the upper and lower portions to a container comprising a headset adapted for rotation in one direction with respect to said container and including at least one spinning arm assembly carrying a pair of freely rotatable rollers, one of which is adapted to engage the upper portion of the skirt of the closure and to deform said portion into close engagement with a corresponding thread formation on the container during rotation of said headset and the other of which is adapted to engage the lower portion of the skirt of the closure and to deform said portion into close engagement with a corresponding thread formation of opposite hand to said first mentioned thread formation on the container, the rollers being biased for movement in a direction radially inwardly of the container and being so mounted on the headset as to be capable of movement longitudinally of the skirt in opposite directions during the closure deforming operation.

2. Means as claimed in claim 1, in which each spinning arm assembly comprises an arm adjustably and detachably secured to a vertical shaft, an equalizing member pivotally mounted on said arm, a pair of shafts freely rotatably mounted on said member and a roller mounted upon each of said shafts.

3. Means as claimed in claim 2, in which the axes of said shafts are inclined or raked with respect to one another to correspond with the helix angles of the thread formations on the container with which the rollers carried thereby are intended to co-operate.

4. Means as claimed in claim 3, in which spring means are associated with each shaft to ensure that the roller carried thereby will occupy an appropriate initial position and will move in engagement with its thread formation against spring bias.

No references cited. 

